


It Will Come Back

by Gabrielsplatypus



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Daddy Issues, Erik Lehnsherr needs to pay child support, Gen, Hank McCoy is So Done, Pietro Maximoff Goes by Peter, Post-X-Men: Days of Future Past, Step-dad Charles Xavier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:02:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29638515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabrielsplatypus/pseuds/Gabrielsplatypus
Summary: Set right after Days of Future Past, basically, everyone accidentally reconvenes at the Mansion, and Peter accidentally finds out and tells Erik that he's his son. How does it work into Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix? Fuck if I know.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr & Pietro Maximoff & Wanda Maximoff, Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier, Hank McCoy/Alex Summers
Comments: 7
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by several headcanons and one fic I read years ago that I can no longer find but still think about sometimes where after Apocalypse Peter is kind of a dick to Erik because he doesn't know how to feel about him, but then he gets hurt and while Peter is recovering in the med-bay Scott confronts him about Peter not telling him that he's Erik's while Erik is sitting there where Scott can't see.

January 1973

"One day Hank, we'll all be together again." 

Hank looked around at the ruined stadium and destruction that surrounded them, keeping a watch on the secret servicemen nearby. He didn't know if he'd ever be ready to face Erik again or live under the same roof, but maybe Raven would come back to them someday. 

"And what about Logan?" Hank asked. God only knew where Erik had thrown him. God only knew if Logan was even still alive after that. Charles opened his mouth to answer and in the blink of an eye they were no longer outside the White House, but in a familiar cluttered basement. 

"Peter?" 

The silver-haired speedster smirked, stopping to help Hank move Charles on the couch. 

"Where's the other guy that was with you? The one with the claws?" He questioned. 

"Would you mind looking for him?" Charles asked and in a blink Peter was gone again. After a minute he returned, a purple helmet in his hands. 

"I looked all over DC and I couldn't find him. Or that blue lady that was on the tv. Or Magneto." Peter looked genuinely regretful that he hadn't been able to find any of them. He held up the helmet to Charles. "I did find this though." 

"I'll take that, probably best the government doesn't get their hands on it," Hank said, taking the helmet from Peter. "Can't wait to run tests on this thing." 

"You guys can stay here for a little bit if you need to," Peter told them. "I'm sure my mom won't mind." That got a harsh laugh in response from a girl on the stairs. She had long auburn hair braided with red and black ribbon that matched her red and black jumpsuit. Her bright blue eyes regarded Charles and Hank with a cold intrigue, something about her reminding Charles faintly of Erik. 

"I think Mother will mind," she said. "Well little brother? Why have you brought these men here, aren't they a little old for you?" 

"Oh fuck off," Peter retorted. "That's not what this is. They're like us." 

"Your sister has powers too?" Charles perked up. Instead of answering, Wanda wiggled her fingers, a red light swirling around them and the helmet as it shot into her hands. 

"Fascinating, you're siblings and yet your powers have no similarities," Hank said, almost awestruck. 

"I'll do you one better, we're twins," Wanda told him. 

"And you're not _that_ much older than me, thank you very much." Peter disappeared in a blur and was back with two Ding Dongs, one of which he gave to his sister. 

"It's been theorized that mutant siblings would have similar abilities if not the same-" Hank turned to Charles who nodded thoughtfully. 

"But we haven't been able to find that many siblings and Alex's brothers are too young to manifest," he finished. Noting the look on the twins' faces he added, "Hank and I have doctorates in genetics. We are mutants and we try to research, to provide answers for our own, but unfortunately, there's only been so much we could do." 

"You never told me your powers, though I'm assuming he can turn blue," Peter commented with a nod to Hank. "Which is like, really cool, by the way." Hank seemed shocked that someone other than Charles genuinely found his mutation interesting. Charles scrunched up his face as he gazed at the twins.

"I can't read either of you," he said after a few moments. "I'm a telepath. I can read minds, emotions - control them even. But you two, I can feel you but it's like there's a barrier with you Wanda and Peter your thoughts are just too fast. A side effect of your respective mutations most likely-" 

_Can you even hear me like this?_

_Yes!_ That came from Wanda, her mental voice having a trace of some kind of Eastern European accent. And from Peter-

_Holyshitwhatthefuckthatissocoolitsalmostcreepybutdefinatelycoolimsorryifipissedyouofftheotherdaywaityousaidyoudidnthaveyourpowershowcomeyouhavethemnowdidyouandthatmetalguybreakupagainwhywere-_

Charles fell back on the couch as he pulled out of Peter's mind, rubbing his temples. He would not be going near that boy's head again unless absolutely necessary. Charles sighed as he tried to suppress the migraine he felt coming on. 

"Wanda! Pietro!" They heard the little girl calling from upstairs. 

"We're down here Lorna!" The twins shouted back in unison. A few seconds later a little girl in a princess costume dress marched down the stairs, gazing at Charles and Hank warily. 

"Is your sister also-" 

"That's a good question," Peter answered before Hank could even finish his sentence. 

"Her hair is naturally green but we dye it brown and she hasn't developed any powers like us," Wanda explained. 

"She probably won't manifest for a couple more years yet," Charles told them. The twins exchanged a confused look.

"Our powers 'manifested' when we were younger than she is now," Peter said, picking Lorna up and placing her on his hip. 

"Really? Usually, people manifest at or shortly after puberty." Charles regarded the twins with kind, searching eyes. 

"There's got to be another contributing factor," Hank mused. 

"Uh, Lorna's adopted?" Wanda added. 

"No, that's not it," Charles said. "Your mother is human, yes?" He received a trio of nods. "What of your father?" The twins exchanged another look. 

"Our father died when we were babies. Mom won't talk about him," Wanda replied. 

"She did say once that she knew a guy who could control metal," Peter added absentmindedly. 

" _Pardon_?"

"Yeah, after our powers manifested she mentioned once that she knew a guy who could control metal. But she only ever brought it up the once and I kinda just forgot about it until you mentioned that Erik guy," he continued on, oblivious to the shocked and calculating expressions of Charles and Hank, or the suspicious one from his sister. "Do we need to call you a taxi or something so you can get back to the airport? Or I could run you? It's not far." 

"It'd be safer if I drove. There's probably going to be lots of police and military swarming all over," Wanda objected. "The last thing we need is one of us getting caught, especially if you're taking that thing with you." She pointed at the helmet, which Lorna was now sporting as if it were her princess tiara. "I mean, Mom's in a mood right now-" Having another episode, or having a mental break down was really what it was - a result of whatever trauma she'd experienced in the War - but she wasn't about to tell that to these strangers, mutants or not. She knew Pietro and Lorna knew what she meant. "-so she might not mind the three of us taking the car out for a bit," Wanda suggested. 

They wrapped Erik's helmet in an old shopping bag just in case and crammed into Ms. Maximoff's car. The twins and Lorna listened eagerly as Hank and Charles told them of other mutants they had encountered over the years and their mutations, some more bittersweet than others. There was something in the siblings that reminded Charles of him and Raven all those years ago, the growing up with only each other and a distant, alcoholic mother. At least the Maximoff siblings had grown up in a more loving and certainly less abusive home than he had. If only the school had been open for the twins, if only Charles had been able to find them sooner. But Lorna-

"Peter you still have my card yeah?" Charles asked, Peter holding up the card in question. "That's the address for a school that Hank and I used to run. One that I hope to be starting up again. It's a school for people like us, for mutants. I know it's a little too late for you two, but if there's anything you ever need - if you ever need a place to stay my doors will always be open to those in need. And when Lorna's powers manifest hopefully I'll have the school up and running to take her as a student." 

"We'll have to talk to our mom about it but I don't see her saying no," Wanda said. 

"Ok so would it be ok if I ever crashed at your place because I'm the only guy in a house with three women and it sucks sometimes," Peter asked. 

"Drama queen." Wanda rolled her eyes dramatically. 

"Alright then, I'd like to see you live with three or four other guys and not complain. Just you and four guys in a house, how'd you like that? You wouldn't last two days," Peter retorted. 

"Brother dearest, please. Haven't you noticed: men fear me and women want or want to be me. If I was the only girl in a house with several guys I'd have them all under my thumb in two days," Wanda replied.

"See this is the kind of shit I have to deal with," Peter stage-whispered to Charles and Hank as the car pulled up beside a white jet with a large X on the side. 

"If _either_ of you needs a place to stay, as I said my doors are always open," Charles assured them. "And if either of you ever needs to be bailed out of jail, you have my number." He and Hank bid the three siblings goodbye and boarded the jet. They were well on their way to Westchester when Hank spoke up. 

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"We'll definitely be seeing those three again," Charles murmured. 

"And I'll be damned if I didn't spend all those years in the CIA and I'm not able to lift a DNA sample off that helmet." 

"I hope Moira's alright," Charles said, not wanting to address the suspicions he shared about the Maximoff twins. He had seen a woman who looked a lot like Wanda in Erik's head years ago. He might've mentioned it once in front of Hank when he'd been in a drunken stupor. _He had a sister, he knew what it was like to lose a sister and he still took her away from me._ Charles was a geneticist, one of the best. All of the pieces were there in front of him, just waiting to be put together. And Charles and Hank would figure it out, one way or another. 

Charles was sure of one thing as the plane touched down in Westchester: Logan had known exactly what he doing when he suggested getting Peter to help break Erik out. Someone in the future had made that decision, whether it was Logan or Charles or even Erik himself. Someone had decided that the Maximoff twins needed to cross pass with Charles, someone knew that Charles would see those kids and take them under his wing. Someone had decided they needed Charles and Erik in their lives. 

There was only so much he could do to help Erik, but Charles would be damned if he didn't help the man's children. 

* * *

When the twins and Lorna returned home their mother was sitting at the table, an empty glass in front of her and a far-off look in her eyes. The news showed footage of Paris and DC, but the sound was turned off. 

"Sit down," she instructed hoarsely. "There's something I need to talk to you about." Peter and Wanda sat down across from their mother, Lorna in Peter's lap. 

"What's this about? What's wrong?" Peter asked quietly. With one arm he gripped Lorna close to his chest and with the other he held Wanda's hand tightly. 

" _Mama, you're scaring us_ ," Wanda pleaded in Romany. 

"This is about your father," their mother replied. "I've lied to you about him. He didn't die when you two were babies. He is very much alive, and ten years ago he had a tryst with Lorna's mother that resulted in her. That's why she was brought to me after Arnold and Suzanna died." 

"Why are you telling us this now?" Peter's thoughts were racing, more so than usual. So many questions bubbled up in his head but that was the one he could voice. He and Wanda had been twelve when an older blind lady had shown up one night with a five-year-old Lorna, green hair and all, and spoken with his mother for what felt like forever. The lady, Irene maybe, had then left and his mother had told him and Wanda that they a new baby sister. He'd been a little apprehensive at first but had quickly accepted it and moved on. Now he wished he'd asked more questions. 

"Because-" His mother's voice cracked and the next words were barely more than a whisper, but they were ones that would haunt Peter for the rest of his life. 

"Your father is Erik Lehnsherr." 


	2. Chapter 2

_Goodbye, old friend._

_Goodbye, Erik._

Erik left behind the helmet intentionally, as a peace offering of sorts. He'd hurt Charles again. He never wanted to hurt Charles, Charles was one of the few good things that had happened in his life. Charles was the only person that knew _everything_ about Erik, and despite this still loved him. Yes, they loved each other, their lives and souls were entwined together Erik admitted to himself as he flew above Washington DC. Charles knew it too, and deep down he knew that Erik was sorry for hurting him again. Even if he would never admit it out loud. Charles would know what Erik leaving the helmet behind meant. 

As he flew over the Potomac, Erik felt the metal he'd forced through Wolverine. He stopped, briefly, and rose the asshole out of the water and onto the deserted bank, letting the metal fall out of him. He might've been sent from the future, but he was apart of Erik's past as well. It had been nearly 30 years now since Erik had been liberated from Auschwitz but he hadn't forgotten the faces of the men that had liberated them. Logan probably didn't remember Erik, a scrawny boy of 15 that he'd been, but Logan hadn't changed and Erik remembered him. 

He thought of the boy that had broken him out of the Pentagon. One of Charles' students most likely. His words had not left Erik's mind since. 

_They told me you control metal. You know, my mom once knew a guy who could do that._

Who was this boy? Who was his mother? The boy had said his name was Peter Maximoff, but Erik had never known anyone by that name. Nor had he told many women of his gifts. The boy had to be about what, 17? He couldn't be from Emma, or Raven, or Angel, or even Moira god-forbid - none of them had had children then. Who had Erik known 18 years ago? 

Natalya Lehnsherr

She had been his first love and his first heartbreak. He had taken her name when he'd known he needed to change his name. When he could no longer be Max Eisenhardt. He had loved her, had thought perhaps he could have a normal life with her. And then one day she was just gone. Erik devoted himself to finding Shaw and other Nazis. He had closed himself off completely and sworn he'd never love again - until Charles. 

Surely Peter couldn't be-

No. No, Erik couldn't, _Erik wouldn't_ let himself go down that train of thought. He wouldn't let himself have that kind of hope. No, no it was all just some sort of coincidence. There were plenty of other mutants out there. Charles and Emma were both telepaths, and they were probably not the only ones of their kind. No, this Peter boy's mother had just known some other mutant. Maybe someone like him, or just some other telekinetic. 

Unconsciously, Erik had flown himself to Westchester. He could feel the mostly empty house, with an absurd amount of metal underneath that hadn't been there 11 years ago. Probably labs and training rooms like the bunker they had trained Alex in. There were tunnels too he could feel, leading out away from the house into the woods. Charles was an optimist, yes, but he wasn't a fool. A school full of mutants, even a secret, hidden one in the countryside was still a sitting target for people like Trask and Stryker. The children would need a way to escape if worse ever came to worse. Erik reached out with his powers, and how good it felt to be able to do so. He felt nothing in the air - most planes in the Northeast would have been grounded and there weren't any fighter jets or helicopters approaching him. Nor was there a caravan of armed vehicles or police cars approaching on the ground. He hadn't been followed. Good. Erik felt into the mansion, only feeling three distinct bodies. Charles in his wheelchair, Hank with his spectacles and watch he always wore, and a third with dog tags. The metal wasn't familiar to him, ruling out Logan or Moira. Alex most likely, Charles had mentioned he'd been drafted on their way to Paris. 

Erik lowered himself to the earth, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do. 

* * *

Charles smiled as Hank pulled into the garage, feeling a familiar mind close by.

_Welcome back, Alex._

_Good to be back, Professor._

"Hank, Alex is home," Charles said aloud, not missing the way Hank immediately perked up at the news. He helped Charles from the car into a wheelchair they kept in the garage, and the two made their way to the kitchen where they found Alex waiting for them. He and Hank were on each other in an instant, Alex practically jumping into Hank's arms as they passionately kissed. After a few long minutes, Alex pulled away to give the Professor a much-needed hug. "It's so good to have you back," Charles told him truthfully. Alex was like a son to him, to him and to Erik when things had been simpler. Having Alex after everything that had happened since Logan had barged in was like a much-needed balm on the soul. 

"Well we have Raven to thank for it," Alex replied, less enthusiastically. He and Raven's relationship had never been on great terms, and her leaving with Erik did nothing to help matters. 

"What do you mean?"

"This guy, Stryker, was going to take me and a few other mutants somewhere - to Trask probably - but then Raven showed up impersonating a colonel and got us all sent back to the States. I don't know if I'm actually discharged or not so I thought it better if I came here rather than go to my parents," Alex explained. 

"Oh, so you didn't just want to see us?" Hank questioned, looking a little deflated. Alex rolled his eyes at him and pulled him in for another kiss. 

"Of course I wanted to see you, bozo. Now, what the fuck happened in Paris?" 

They sat down in the kitchen, eating a meager dinner of cereal, much as they used to when it had been just the three of them and Sean. Alex explained his days in Vietnam, or the parts he could anyway. Charles and Hank explained everything that had happened with Logan, from him showing up claiming to be sent from the future to them breaking out Erik out of the Pentagon to Paris and then DC. 

"And in this Logan guy's head, in his memories, you saw my brother Scott too?" Alex questioned. Charles nodded. 

"I did. He was much older, he and Logan didn't meet until Scott was already a teacher here - years from now." 

"And Scott is a mutant? He'll manifest when he's older?" Alex didn't ask _will his powers be like mine?_ But Charles knew the question was still there.

"He'll lead the X-men when he's older. But yes, his powers will be like yours, if somewhat more ... refined." Refined wasn't exactly the best way the describe it, but it'll do. "He's what, seven now? You'll have to wait a few more years." There was something in Logan's memories that almost perturbed Charles. He had seen himself, had seen Hank, Erik and Raven, and even Moira - but he hadn't seen Alex. He'd seen Scott, as well as girl who was like Sean, and man like Azazel but blue, but no sign or mention of the oldest Summers brother. Granted, Charles had seen only fragments of the future from Logan's perspective and there were still swatches of Logan's memories that were missing, but it still worried Charles. He shook the thoughts from his head. That was in a different future. They had changed things. The future would be different now. Alex would be _fine._

They finished eating and Charles told the two men he would be going to bed, knowing Hank and Alex would disappear to the other side of the house the moment his head hit the pillow. Hank and Alex dutifully followed him to his room, but instead of letting Hank help him as he normally did Charles bid the two goodnight at the door. He was planning on sleeping in his undershirt and boxers anyway, too exhausted to properly get ready for bed. He heard Hank and Alex scampering down the hall in the direction of their rooms as Charles undressed and hoisted himself into his bed. As he leaned over to turn off the bedside lamp, he finally addressed the presence that had been lurking in the shadows of the bathroom. 

"Well, are you just going to stand there and watch me sleep all night?" 

Erik emerged, still in the outfit he'd been wearing in DC. 

"Charles-" he started but Charles was having none of it. 

"I am not in the mood to talk to you right now. Either take off that bloody awful outfit - seriously, Erik where did you even get that - and come to bed with me, or get out of my house. Oh, don't give me that look I do still have enough self-respect to not let you fuck me yet. We can fight or fuck in the morning. Right now, I'm going to sleep." With that, Charles turned off the lamp and pulled the covers over himself. A few minutes later, Erik climbed into bed with him, spooning Charles as he had eleven years earlier. Charles let him, and the two fell into a dreamless sleep. 

Charles awoke when he felt Hank and Alex stirring, quickly drawing away as he felt them grow more excited. He lay in bed for a few minutes, content just to lay in Erik's arms with Erik's mind - calm as it usually wasn't - next to his. He would have basked in it more, all those years ago, if he had known how things would end between them. But things could be mended. Logan had said that Charles and Erik had sent him, _together_. And he was right: Charles wouldn't give up on someone he loved. Carefully, he extracted himself from Erik's arms and made his way to the shower. When he was done, he pulled some proper clothes on, something more befitting a Professor, and made his way to the kitchen - leaving Erik to sleep peacefully. Charles made himself toast and a cup of tea, and was joined not long after by Hank and Alex. Both were happier than they had been in years, and it was enough for Charles to not bring up the hickies on both of their necks. 

"So I was wondering-" Hank began, taking a bite of toast. The three men jumped as Peter suddenly stood in the kitchen. 

"I've got a bone to pick with you," he said, uncharacteristically angry. 

"Who the fuck are you?" Alex exclaimed, as Hank grabbed his arm. 

"Who the fuck are you?" Peter returned.

"Alex this is Peter, from the Pentagon, Peter this Alex, he was one of my students," Charles introduced, trying to calm everyone down. "Peter, what's the matter?"

"Who's idea was it to get me to break Magneto out of prison?" Peter asked. 

"It was Logan," Hank answered. "Why?" 

"Peter if something happened, just tell us and we'll help you," Charles told him. 

"And did this Logan guy say why it had to be me?" Peter continued. "When you came, you asked if I was a teleporter and he said I was just fast. How did he know? He said, I heard him say, "when I knew him he wasn't so young." What did he mean by that?"

"Peter, just calm down. Sit down and we'll explain the whole situation, ok?" Charles tried to placate the boy. Peter blurred in and out as he sped around the room and house quicker than the speed of light. "What's brought this on?" 

"I just need to know why you had to find me, specifically, to break Erik Lehnsherr out of prison," Peter said, coming to stop in front of Charles. His back was to the door so he couldn't notice Erik quietly coming down the hall, keeping to the shadows so he wouldn't be noticed. 

"Why is it bothering you so much? Has something happened?" Charles pressed. 

"Yeah, something's happened," Peter retorted dryly. "My mom told me that Erik Lehnsherr is my fucking father!" 


End file.
